Do you have to be crazy to be an entrepreneur?

If undertake is fiercely trend, it is anything but a rational choice, warning the economist Mickaël Mangot. Explanations.

Emmanuel Macron dream of a "start-up nation". Undertake would be a royal way. "Entrepreneur is the new France", says the president. But is it rational, to begin his account ? Not really, answers, Mickaël Mangot. In his latest book, The Work that hides the forest, a specialist in behavioral economics (a discipline that tracks the influence of biased psychological or economic actors) asks the couple work-happiness. Maintenance.

Almost one in two French (1) is tempted to engage in entrepreneurship. Is this a good idea financially ?

Several international studies tend to show that entrepreneurs earn on average no more than workers. Not to mention that profiles are comparable, their incomes are more variable and their social protection is lower. Just as the growth of their income during their career, which can be explained by a level of continuous training and investment in technology to be lower. Economically, this choice is not rational.

Your support is essential. Subscribe for $ 1 support Us

DECRYPTION >> The self-employed to the RSI are they really less well off than the employees?

In addition, who says high-risk, said normally, in investment, better performance perspective. However, this is not the case with entrepreneurship, the risk is clearly not paid. It is all the more important that the wealth of the entrepreneurs is under-diversified. Their capital is often mainly invested in the business. Leaves to take risks, stay employed and put all his money in the stock Exchange, where the risk pays better, is more optimal.

Why run, then ?

Those who jump off the not generally presumed to underestimate the risk. The studies show that the entrepreneur is less risk-averse and more confident in him than the rest of the population. The sensation, or rather illusion, of control of the situation distorts his perception. Despite the objective risk, it has, paradoxically, the impression of greater security of employment. And think that betting on him is safer than securities of larger companies.

>> Service Partner : go on Legalstart.fr to carry out the necessary steps to creating your online company

added to this is an overestimation of his ability to "make a fortune". We tend to allow ourselves to be enticed by the idea of winning the jackpot. Behavioural economics explains that we are overestimating often the very small probabilities - for example, when we play at lottery.

READ ALSO >> Why play the Lottery or the Euromillions is not quite irrational

It is ultimately at the root of entrepreneurship through psychological classics : excess of confidence and optimism, overestimation of the probability of extremes. It takes a dose of irrationality to make this bet !

entrepreneurship-dope-t-he at least happiness ?

business leaders are 51% to be very satisfied with their work, compared to only 35% of employees, indicates a recent survey of the Institute of the economy of the happiness, that I am leading. This is the paradox of the entrepreneur : an activity that pays poorly and uncertainly, which consumes a lot of time, which is somewhat protected, but which is judged very positively by the strengths of non-economic - autonomy, flexibility, sense of control, sense found in the work.

however, We note a clear difference between those who were unemployed before becoming an entrepreneur and the other : those who are initiated by choice and not default are on average happier professionally.

READ ALSO >> Silver : what we learn from the economics of happiness

Despite this job satisfaction increased, the contractors will say they are in the final, however, not be more satisfied with their life overall as the employees. They are less satisfied with their family and social life, their leisure activities - key elements because they bear more heavily on luck than the work. All-consuming Passion, entrepreneurship overrides the other dimensions of life.

What also strikes is that entrepreneurship has become the receptacle of all the aspirations not met by the other hand, as the quest for meaning. It responds to a growing dissatisfaction, especially of the new generation, in the face of a salary model (bsm), which shows its limits. To avoid disappointment, it is necessary to ensure that they do not see the assurance of a future happiness. Entrepreneurship is more of a learning experience, which will develop your capital psychological (self-esteem, self-efficacy), that the royal road to happiness.

(1) 45 %, according to a survey Opinionway for June 2017.

Read our complete file

Be a boss of his company

Be boss, it is good for the health of 40% of entrepreneurs will not take eight days off this summer for A week with a "bastard boss"

AND FINALLY >> No, not everyone can become an entrepreneur

(1) 45 %, according to a survey Opinionway for June 2017.